This application relates to the art of film forming compositions and to methods for applying films to substrates. The invention is particularly applicable to film forming compositions that contain solid state alkylsilsesquioxane polymers and to methods for applying such polymers to substrates, and will be described with particular reference thereto. However, it will be appreciated that the application has broader aspects and that at least certain features can be used with other polymers and methods.
Polymerizable amphiphilic molecules having the intrinsic ability to self-assemble into a thin film are well known in both solution phase and gas phase. By way of example, descriptions of such materials and their ability to form thin films are contained in: W. C. Bigelow et al, J. Colloid. Sci., 1,513-538 (1946); L. H. Lee, J. Colloid. and Interface Sci., 27, 751-760 (1968); E. E. Polymeropoulos et al, J. Chem. Phys., 69, 1836-1847 (1978); J. Sagiv, U.S. Pat. No. 4,539,061; J. Phys. Chem. 70, 2937 (1966); Trans. Faraday. Soc., 63, 2549 (1967); J. Phys. Chem., 73, 2372 (1969); Langmuir, 7, 923 (1991); Langmuir, 9, 3518 (1993) and Langmuir, 13, 1877 (1997). Disclosures of molecular beam deposition of coatings on substrates are found in the following U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,001,858; 4,181,544; 4,330,360; 4,681,773; 4,800,100; and 5,064,520. The disclosures of these publications and patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference. Compositions and methods for applying hydrophobic ultra thin films of self-assembling amphiphilic molecules to substrates are described in commonly assigned U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,078,791; 5,166,000; 5,173,365; 5,204,126; 5,219,654; 5,300,561; 5,766,698; and 5,897,918. The disclosures of these patents are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Use of the compositions and methods disclosed in the above literature and patents typically results in the formation of a mono-layer thin film on a substrate surface. Inter-molecular interactions in both solution phase and gas phase under a low vacuum make it difficult to use these compositions and methods to form multi-layer films. In addition, the use of these compositions requires cleaning of the substrate surface and/or the vacuum chamber after formation of the film.
Compositions and methods disclosed in the above literature and patents are very sensitive to moisture, and require special packaging, handling and processing. These prior art processes also expose the entire substrate surface to the film forming substance and result in a film over the entire surface of the substrate. There is no choice of selecting a certain substrate surface or shape for film formation other than by masking.
In the compositions and methods disclosed in the above literature and patents, highly reactive self-assembling amphiphilic monomer substances are used to form the films. It would be desirable if these monomers could be partially polymerized to reduce their high reactivity to moisture while still being capable of acting as self-assembling amphiphilic molecules to form thin films.
Compositions with organic polymer molecules and self-assembling amphiphilic polymer substances for use in forming multi-layer thin films have been reported in the literature. By way of example, silsesquioxanes made from different monomer silanes and alkylsilanes are disclosed in Chem. Rev., 95 1431-1442 (1995) and Chem. Rev., 95, 1409-1430 (1995), and references cited therein and in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 119, 3135-3143 (1997). The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Methods for applying multi-layer thin films of organic polymers and self-assembling amphiphilic polymer substances inside ultra high vacuum chambers are known in the fields of optoelectronics, flat panel displays, thin film transistors and lasers as disclosed in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 120, 8563-8564 (1998) and Chem. Rev., 97, 1793-1896 (1997), and references cited therein. The disclosures of these publications are hereby incorporated herein by reference.
Use of the above methods and compositions requires the use of materials having extremely high purity. Therefore, a very complicated purification procedure is required that includes the use of a vacuum chamber at an ultra high vacuum of 1xc3x9710xe2x88x927 to 1xc3x9710xe2x88x9211 torr.
It would be desirable to have a process and composition for use in applying hydrophobic thin films of self-assembling amphiphilic polymer substances to surfaces in a manner that is very fast, efficient and price effective. It also would be desirable to have a process that is capable of coating only one surface at a time with a film of controlled thickness. It also would be desirable to have a process that could be used at a much lower vacuum than the ultra high vacuum mentioned in the previous references. It also would be desirable to have a process where cleaning of the excess coating material inside the vacuum chamber automatically takes place during the coating process. It would be desirable to have a coating composition of self-assembling amphiphilic polymer substances that is easy to handle and use. It also would be desirable to have a composition that is very stable at room temperature and humidity, and does not require special protection from temperature or moisture. It would be yet another desirable characteristic to have a composition and process that is user friendly and environmentally safe. It would be another desirable characteristic to have a composition and process in which a single component material of very high purity is not required. It further would be desirable to have a coating composition that is easy to dispose of after it has been used.
In accordance with the present application a stable solid state coating composition includes a solid state film forming polymer having self-assembling amphiphilic molecules. In one arrangement, the film forming polymers are alkylsilsesquioxanes which are prepared in accordance with known procedures, such as disclosed in J. Am. Chem. Soc., 119, 3135-3143 (1997), the disclosure of which is hereby incorporated herein by reference.
A pure film forming substance in accordance with the present application evaporates very rapidly when heated and this makes it difficult to control the thickness of a film that is formed by the evaporated molecules. Therefore, the film forming substance preferably is mixed with an inert carrier, such as a metal oxide, that is stable at high temperatures and does not react with moisture or with the film forming substance.
The composition of film forming polymer powder mixed with a metal oxide powder is compressed into a tablet or compressed into a metal cup. The film forming polymer preferably is 10-50% by weight of the composition.
The amount of film forming substance in the composition that is compressed into a tablet or compressed into a metal cup usually is in the range of 0.5 to 5.0 grams, and more preferably 0.5 to 1.0 grams. Obviously, larger or smaller amounts may be used for some purposes.
When a metal cup is used and packed with compressed composition according to the present application, the volume of the cup usually is 0.5 to 2.0 milliliters. Obviously, other sizes may be used for some purposes.
A substrate is coated with a thin film of amphiphilic molecules in accordance with the present application by placing the composition of the present application in a vacuum chamber with a substrate to be coated. A high vacuum of 1xc3x9710xe2x88x924 to 1xc3x9710xe2x88x926 torr is established and maintained within the vacuum chamber during the coating process. When the desired vacuum is established, the composition is heated within the vacuum chamber to evaporate the film forming substance from a solid state to a vapor state by sublimation. The evaporated material forms a molecular beam of amphiphilic molecules that settle on the substrate surface and self-assemble into a continuous thin film that bonds to the substrate surface. The thickness of the film is controlled by the evaporation rate of the film forming substance and time.
A variety of different substrate materials can be coated with thin films of amphiphilic polymer molecules by using the method and composition of the present application. Suitable substrate materials include, but are not necessarily limited to, glass, ceramic, porcelain, plastics, glass or plastic lenses, glass slides, sun glasses, safety glasses, precision optical parts, lenses with anti-reflective coatings, or flat sheets or other surfaces, and certain polished metal surfaces such as silicon, aluminum, germanium, chromium, titanium and zirconium.
It is a principal object of the present invention to provide an improved coating composition that contains a solid state film forming substance of amphiphilic molecules for use in providing hydrophobic thin films on substrate surfaces.
It is also a principal object of the invention to provide an improved method for providing hydrophobic thin films on substrate surfaces.
It is another object of the invention to provide a method that permits coating of substrate surfaces one side at a time.
It is a further object of the invention to provide a method that can be used to provide substrate surfaces with multi-layer self-assembled films of controlled thickness.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a method that does not require an ultra high vacuum.
It is an additional object of the invention to provide a composition of the type described that is easy to handle, transport and use.
It is another object of the invention to provide such a composition that is very stable at normal temperature and humidity.
It is yet another object of the invention to provide a method and composition that is user friendly and environmentally safe.
It is also an object of the invention to provide a method wherein excess coating material is removed from the vacuum chamber during the coating process.
It is also an object of the present invention to provide a coating composition that is easy and safe to dispose of.
It is also an object of the invention to use a mixture of amphiphilic polymers to create good hydrophobic films on surfaces.